January 2, 2024
As has been tradition for over a decade, team registration opened in 2024 at the exact moment that the year began. At the stroke of midnight, New Year's Eve (Mountain Time), over 250 team managers, coaches and captains were anxiously online, ready to secure their team's spot in the 2024 Huntsman World Senior Games. Just 20 minutes later, over 300 total teams had registered and by 8:00 AM, most age divisions in women's softball had already reached their participation caps. Men's softball teams soon followed and by today, January 2, 2024, the majority of divisions are already at capacity.
"We keep registering teams faster and faster, each year," said Kyle M Case, Games CEO. "It's exciting for us to see the impact this event has had on people that they are willing to wait up until the middle of the night on New Year's to make sure they get a spot."
With many divisions closed, teams should not lose all hope of getting to play in the Games this year.
"Throughout the next several months, for various reasons, teams will drop out. So we strongly encourage teams to go ahead and get on the waiting list," says John "Rosey" Rosander, Director of Sports. "We can't guarantee that every team on the wait list will get into the tournament. But we can guarantee that if they are not on the waitlist they won't make it."
When a team logs into the registration system, if their division is full, they are automatically given the option to be added to a wait list. As teams drop out, wait-listed teams are notified and given the option to take the vacated spot. The Games works hard to maximize the number of teams accepted, while also creating an equilibrium with the number of venues and the time available for competition.
"It's an incredible process that takes time and care," adds Case. "There are a lot of moving parts in putting together a tournament with eight or nine age groups as well as multiple skill levels within each age group. Our individual sport directors put a lot of time and effort into the process."
The Huntsman World Senior Games will run from October 7 - 19 in 2024.